Hydraulic-core drill



Feb.` 15, 1927.

E. WHINNEN HYDRAULIC GORE DRILL Filed Jan. 5. 1925 INVENoR.

Patented Feb. 15, 1927.

`.UNIT- EDl STA 'rE-s Par r orifice. i

EUGENE WINNE'N, on REPUBLrc, MIcniGAN.

mnAULIcfconE nam..

. (application meaianuarys, 1925. 'serial No. 529. A

This invention relates to an improved type of hydraulic core drill, adapted for use in connection with the ordinary rotary well drilling equipment and has for an object to provide a core drill adapted to be connected to the lower end of a string of vdrill pipe and to be lowered into a'well bore and rotated by the drill pipe, the drill pipe being operated'by the usual rotary surface equi ment and maintained at a given elevation uringacore drilling operation, and the core drillbeing of an -axially expansible character f whereby the core-cutter is fed'downwardly relative to the drill body and drill pipe, by the pressure of the circulating fluid which isv forced down the drill-pipe by theusual and mud-water circulation equipment at the sur-l face of thewellf Another object is to eliminate the neces-l sity of any special surface equipment and to utilize the standard rotary drill table-for rotating the drill pipe andv drill,` and the vstandard mud-water clrculation system for causing an axial feed-of the drill into theA formation in a core drilling operation.

Another object is to provide a core drill.'

of an axially expansible character in which the feeding 'stroke of the core cutting means is limited to a predetermined length and is effected bv the pressure of the circulating fluid, and to make provisions whereby when the core cutting reaches the' limit of its stroke, a change in the flow of the circul latin'g fluid is effected to` give a visual indication at the well `surface. I

A further-object is to provide means for regulating the rate of axial feed ofthe core A cutting means.

' velevation above the bottom .of the well Another object is to 'provide4` means fori varying the length of the feeding stroke of the core cutting means.

Another object is toprovide a core drill of the cylinder an'd piston' ty in which the cylinder is attached to the ower end of a drill pipe and is rotatedthereby Aat a Given iore,

"andlin which the core-barrel is attached to the piston and extends'downwardly through and beyond the cylinder 4head and has a core cutter .at its( lower end. the piston being driven downwardly by the circulating iiuid to feed the-cutter into the formationduring- Arotatin of the drill. g

Various otherobjects and advantaglres will 'be more fully apparent fromthe following description of the accompanying drawings which form a part of -this disclosure, and

which illustrate -a preferred form ofvembo'di'f` ment of the invention.

Of the drawings: j Fig. 1 is a vertical section illustrating the drill in boring positionV in a well bore.

. Fig. 2 is tion, showing the parts in the positions they occupy atthe end of a core drillin stroke. Fig. 3 is a section on lineB--- 0% Fig. 2.

a-s1m1lar view,partly in eleva- Fig. 4 is a section on line H of 1. I

Fig; 5 visa'section on line 5 5 of` Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of corev cu'tter.`

. Heretofore it has been the general prac;-

provides a core drill adapted for attachment` invention renders it possible tice in' drills fed by hydraulic means, to f Such special equipment to the standard string of drill-pipe and to be rotated thereby, the drill-pipe inthis -in v stance being table as in a well boring operation. The

l drillpi e string is not fed downwardly Ain a core rilling operation but is rotated at a given elevation such -of the'well bore. The core-drill is of the nad'riven by the standard rotary as to maintain ya coredrill body at a 'given height above the bottom ture of a.- cylin'der and piston, the cylinder being the drill body which is attached to the drillpip'e and the piston carrying the corebarrel having at its lower end a core-cutter.

This providesan axially expansibledrill .in which the pressure ofjthe circulation water forced down the drill-pipe serves to force the piston ldownwardly in thel cylinder to effect a downward feed' of the core-barrel and core-,cutter into the formation.

In the drawings the drill body isshown cylinder-head screw threaded upon the lower end thereof, and 3, 4 designating a .two part coupling the lower member 3 being 'screw-threaded on the upper end of the cylinder 1, the members 3, 4 being screwthreaded together as at 5, and the upper member having an internal screw-thread adapting it for attachment to the lower end of a string of rotary drill-pipe 6. Adapted to reciprocate in the cylinder 1, is a piston member 7 provided at its upper end' with a cupped ring packing 8, preferablyI of leather, which is `secured in place by a split spreader ring 9 andv a two part' rin` plate 10, said ring plate clamping the pacing to the top of the piston member by means of bolts11. v

The piston member 7 has a central bore and screw-threaded into the lower end thereof is a tubular rod -12 and screw-threaded ,A upon the lower end of said rod is a core receiving barrel 13, the rod and barrelconstituting a hollow piston rod extending outwardly from the drill body through the bore i. in the cylinder head 2 and through suitable packing 14 and a suitable packing gland 15 functioning to maintainJ the packing 1n place.

A tubular core cutter 16 is detachably secured to the lower end of the core barrel 13, the cutter shown in Fig. 1 being the ordinary type of diamond core cutter provided with a split core-retaining ring 17, while thecutter illustrated in Fig. 6,l which may if desired be substituted for that-shown in Fig. 1,-is of the ordinary toothed type. The diamonds or teeth in these cutter'sare arranged to provide such clearance around the core as to permit a circulation of' the fluid laround thecore 'downwardly to the cutting edges and upwardly around the outer periphery ofthe cutter and core barrel, as indicated by thearrows in Fig. 1.

Screw-threaded into the upper end of thebore of the piston member 7,.is a tubular drive. rod 18, which extends upwardly through. the central bore in thecoupling member 3 and to a considerabledistance 'upwardly into the drill-pipe' 6. This drive rod 18 is slidable in relation to said coupling `member 3, and in the present instance is hexagonal in cross-section as is the bore in the member 3 in which it engages, thus the drive rod is, in effect, slidably keyed in the coupling member 3 so asto be rotated therewith, while at the same time said rod is capable of being axially translated relative to said member. v l

`.A11 attachment or stop collar 19 1s adjustably secured upon thev drive rod `18 above `the coupling member 3 and by engaging with the upper surface'20 of Isald coupling memberserves to limit the downward feedstroke of the drive-rod, the piston and the core barrel and core cutter carried thereby. It will be-'evident that the length of such feeding stroke may be varied 'by loosening the set-screw 21 and readjusting the 70, y

collar 19 to drive. rod 18. v

Inthe cylinder head 2 there is provided an exhaust passage22 normally closed by a ball valve 23 a spring 24 retained within the enlarged lower end of said 25 'having a' 'screw-threaded engagement therein.. Byadjustment of said plug the: tensionv of function of the spring being to hold the ball valve 23 closed against the head of Huidv within the cylinder while the drill is being lowered intojthe well bore and'until the piston starts i drilling operation. controls the exhaust of the Huid through the exhaust passage 22 thereby .regulating the speed of axial travel ofthe'piston and asso.-

a different locationupon the ciated'parts, said control valve being pre-ad- 90 vof liquid from the cylinder through said passage, thel outer end of the passage 27 'being provided with screw-threads vfor attachment thereto, into the well bore, of a pipe or other means E by which the lower portion of the mav be initially lilled with-fluid..

The upper coupling member'4 is provided with a tapered concentric valve seat 29 and, in the region of, said seat -said coupling memberv isprovided with one'or more ports 30.*101 kAdapted to engage 'said seat and normally close the said ports is a sleeve valve 'member 31, slidably mounted upon the upper -reduced portion of the coupling member 3 and normally maintained closed by acoil'springf 1.51.0-- -32, the upper surface 33 .of the valve sleeve 31 being some distance above the upper surface 20 of the 'coupling member 3`when the valve 31 is in Fig. 1. coupllng member 3 to provide a llushin of m-ud or sand from be explained.`

Just above the piston 7 the drive rod 18' cation -trom the bore of the drive rod tothe cylinder above the piston. l

Having described the different mechanical features of the drill, I will now explain its mode of operation and the functions .of its 18 to glve the required length of feeding l130 which is yieldingly held closedby '7.7

passage by a hollow plug the spring 24 may be varied, the 80 I its downward travel in a core S5 A governor valve 26 .prior to lowering the 'drill i cylinder .m0

closed position, as shown inl f A .Passages 34 are provided in l.the "11.5

the valve 31, as will f ater has transverse ports35" affording communi- 120 in this manner forced into the drill body" below the piston 7 and will force the piston and associated parts upwardly until thesplit plate 10 abuts the stop shoulder 83 upon the coupling member 3.

The drill and drill pipe are then lowered of drill pipe, will enter the upper end into the well bore in the manner and with the surface equipment usually employed in rotary well drilling, until the core cutter or bit engages the bottom of thebore. The drill string is then elevated slightly so as to relieve the bit of the weight of the drill string, after which the drill stem will be properly 'connected with the rotary drill table at the surface, and the usual connection with the circulation pump made through the ordinary vrotary swivel, as 1s now common practice. I

This provides for the rotationy of-the drill ata given elevation from the bottom of the well bore and for the forcing of mud-laden Huid downwardly in the string of drill pipe in the usual manner. f.

The fluid beingpumped down the string o the tubular drive rod 18, as indicated in Fig. 2, and be forced downwardly through said rod, the piston 7, the tubular rod -12 and into the core barrel 13, said fluid discharging around the periphery of the core, and then upwardly around the outer periphery of the core cutter' or bit 16, as indicatedby charge will be only of such degree as willi'be ysufficient to keep the core washed free of any accumulationof the circulating mud in the fluid.

The circulating ports 35 will exertits` pressure upon the u per surfaceof the piston 7 and driveA t e piston and its associated 'parts downwardly so that with a rotation of the drill, the core cutter or bit 16 will exert an adequate borof the' cylinder is initially charged, will be, exhausted through the exhaust passage. 22 and .past the ball lvalve 23, as will be permittedby the pre'adjus'tmen't lof -the controlv valve 26, being understood that 'tliis`valvc`,

I by .reason of controlling the ratepf exhaust,

thereby' controlsl 'or governsv the relative speedzof. the axial feed. of the" pistonr andthe 'core cutter barrel.

the arrowsin Fig. 1. This dis-l iuid entering the cylinder ,above th`e piston through the transverse wardly 'thro-u' This axial feed of the piston will continue until the abutment stop.19 Aupon tliedrive rod 18 abuts the upper surface 3() of the coupling member 8, "as shown in Fig. 2,. such abutment providing a deinitestop to limit the stroke of the core cutter and consequently the length of the sample core to be obtained in the core cutting operatiom As the cutter approaches the end of its stroke it is desirable to indicate this at the vWell surface. Such indication is effected by Athe opening of the relief ports 30, this being effected by the engagement and translation ofthe valve sleeve 3.1 by the stop collar 19 during the final part of its downward travel, the translation of the valve sleeve eifecting an `uncovering of the ports 30, as shownin 2. y I With the ports 30 so opened, relief is pro-- vided for the column of fluid being pumped down the drill pipe, .and the effect of such relief will be immediately noticeable on the pump gauges at the well surface, and further will be indicated at'the surface by the change in return fiow of the mud laden fluid. .When such surface indications give warning tothe operating crew that the drilling feed has ceased, the operator will stop the rotary table and discontinue the circulation of the mud laden fluid, and will then draw the drill-pipe and drill, the'core retainer 17 being effective to retain the core within the core barrel.

lAfter the drill isl drawn from the well the core barrel will be disconnected from the drill and the core removed therefrom. When .this is to be done the lower end of the tubu lar'rod 12 projects considerably beldw the cylinder head (see 2) so that a wrench ortong may be applied thereto to prevent an.

`unscrewing of said rod from' the piston while the core barrel is being unscrewed.

It will be evident that with the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 2, and with the circulationstopped the column of fluid then in the drill pipe .will drain through the ports 30as the pipe is withdrawn from the well bore,";and it will also'be evident that with such draining of, the drill pipe,hsand andv sleevef'l so as to prevent its subsequent re-` 'to `iusli clean the seat 29- andl valve Lsleeve Si, will iush tlhe" accumulated mud downthe passages 34 andfiatoI the cylinder,.a s `indicated'by dotted arrowsin l for rotation at a givenelevation'above the bottom of a well bore, and lwhich is of an` v axially expansibleV charactelvwith: the -ax mud may possibly settle around the valve 1,15, l

ially movable portion thereof provided with the core cutting and'retaining means and fed forwardly in a core Acutting operation by the pressure of the circulating fluid. Further I provide a governor means regulating the speed of the axial feed and a preset means limiting the length of the core cutting stroke, together with means effecting an indication at lthe well surface when the end of such stroke is reached.

It is of advantage; especially in the use of diamond core bits, to provide a relatively small bit, as shown in Fig. l, for instance, where athree-inch'core cutter is used, such cutter is usually provided with eight diamonds, wheieas ifZt-lm--dritl were formed to includereamingl cutters for boring, the entire= hole at one operation with the taking lota core, it would be necessary to provide fifty-six diamonds for a seven and tiveeighths bore, and this would be prohibitive from a `standpoint. of the cost of the diamonds. v.

Further by takingonly a small core in a larger well bore .and without continuing the boring o f the well bore by side reaming cutters or other like means, there remains plenty of room at the bottom of the bore scope of the claims, which follow:

' ful-lycapable of fulfillin for the sidetracking of any bits of metal or hard substances which may be in the bore, andfthe bottom wall of the well bore provides a shelf aroundthe core bit, as at 3 7,

upon which. such hard substances may collect so as not to cause 'injury to the cutter,

which they would do if the cutter were required to reduce all of such hard' substances to such a degree of fineness as to be carried away by the circulatin fluid.

lVhile' the specific em odiment ofthe invention herein illustrated and described is all of the objects primarilyv stated, it is to e understood that I donot `wish to limit the invention in this regard for it is susceptible of embodiment in various other forms, all coming within the I claim; 1. In a rotary boring device, the combination of: a body constituting' a cylinder adapted to be attached to the'lower end of a string of rotary drill-pipe conveyin circufeeding of the boring element into the formation ofthe bottom of the well bore duringl a rotation ofthe device; means permitting VYpiston with i-luid to maintain the piston unit elevated'; and automatic mens operable to exhaust said fluid from below saidy piston at a predetermined rate to control the feeding speed of the piston and associated parts.,

2. In a rotary boring device, the combination ofia body constituting a cylinder adapted to be attached to the lower end ofa string of rotary drill-pipe conveying circulation fluid downwardly into a well bore; a pist'on unit axially slidable within said cylinder and having a hollow piston rod projecting below the body and a boring element attached to the lower end of said rod, said piston unit being slidably keyed to the body for unitary rotation therewith and for axial A translation relative thereto with its upper surface exposed to the pressure of the circulation fluid to thereby effect ar downward feeding of the boring element into the formation of the bottom of the well bore during a rotation of the dev-ice; abutment means associated with the piston unit and adapted to engage the body to limit the feeding stroke of said piston unit, Said abutment means being adjustable to vary the length of' said feeding stroke.

3.` In aI Iotary boringdevice, the combination of: a. body constituting a cylinder and adapted to be attached to the lower end of afstring of rotary drill-pipe conveying circulation fluid downwardly into Ya well bore; a piston unit slidable Within said cylinder. and hav-ing a core-barrel constituting la hollow piston rod projecting below the body, Asaid body having rellef ports above the piston; a valve normally closing said ports;

y a core-cutter attached tothe lower endv of the core-barrel, the piston unit being slidably keyed to the body for unitary rotation therewith and for axial translation relative there@ to with its upper surface exposed -to the pressure of the circulation fluid to thereby effect a downward feeding of the piston, core-barrel and core-cutter during rotation of the de# vice; means for limiting the feeding stroke of. the piston. unit; and means for opening said valve,` at the end of said feeding lstroke torelease the fluid above the pistom 4. In avrotar'y boring devlce, thecombi nation .oft-a body constituting a cylinder and adaptedjto be attached to the lower end ofa string ofjrtary drill-pipeconveyin circulation llugidjdownwardly into a well ore; a pistondunit slidable within said cylinder andhaving acore-barrel constituting a hollow .'pistonrod projecting belovlr the body means permitting an initial charging of the vcylinder below the piston with fluid, the pisciated parts..

30* piston drive-rod for unitary rotation therewith and for axial lation'fluid to thereby effect a downward A feeding of the piston, core-barrel and corecutter'during rotation ofthe device,` the body having an exhaust passage toexhaust the Huid from below the piston; and governor means controlling said exhaust to regulate.

the-'feeding speed lof the piston and asso- 5. Ina rotary boring device, the combi- .lnation of: a body constituting a cylinderr the lower end]I and adapted to be attached to of a string of rotary drill-pipe conveying circulation fluid downwardly 'into' a well bore; a hollow piston within the cylinder and adapted to be driven downwardly by vthe pressure of the circulation fluid; a corebarrel secured to the piston and constituting .a hollow piston rod projecting below v the body; a core-cutter attached to the lower end of the core-barrel; a drive-rod Yattached to the piston land extending upwardly intothe drill-pipe, said .drive-rod being slidably 4keyed 'to the body lfor unitary rot-ation there- .Y with and for axial translationrelative there- 2510, and the Y y constituting a conduit entraining lfluid from drive-rod, piston and core-'barrel the drill-pipe to the core-cutterLa stop'element on the drive-rod 'for engaging a stop on lche body to limit the boring stroke of the unit, said vstop element being adjustable to ,vary said stroke; andmeans for.gov erning/'the axial-'feeding speed of the piston.

6. In a rotary boring device, the combination of: a body constituting a cylinder and adaptedto be attached to the lower end of a string of rotary drill-pipe conveying circulat-ion fluidv downwardly into a` well bore; a

, hollow' piston-within the cylinder and adapt` Jed to be driven do'wnwardly by the pressure 40 of the circulation Huid; a core-barrel secured to the piston and constituting a hollow piston rod projecting below the body; a core-cutter attached to the lower end of the core-barrel; .a drive-rod attachedito the piston and projecting upwardly.into the drill-pipe, being slidably keyed to the body translation relative thereto, and the driverod, piston and core-barrel constituting a conduit entraining fluid lfrom the `drill-pipe.

to the core-cutter; a stop element on the drive-rod for engaging a: stop onthe body to li'mit the boring stroke of the pistn unit, said stop element being adjustable to va'ry said stroke; meansfor governing the axial feeding speed of the piston; and valve means operated-by said stop element Anear the end of its downward stroke to effect a change in the ow of the circulation fluid, such change I 0 ,being visible at thel wellsurface and serving as an indication of a completion of the feedin \stroke of the core-cutter.

' In a'rotary boring device, the combina-A .tion of a body constituting a cylinder adapt- 5.5 ed to be attachedtothe lower end of a string -said o'f rotary ldrill-pipe conveying circulation iiiid downwardly into a well bore; a piston unit axially slidable within said cylinder and having a hollow piston rod project- Aing below the body and a boring element attached to the lower end-ofthe rod,

said piston unit beingk slidably keyed to the. l Y

body for unitary rotation therewith and for axial translation relative thereto with its up-l per surface exposed to the pressure of the circulation fluid lto thereby effect a downward feeding of the boring element into the formation -of the bottom of thefwell bore during a Vrotation of the device; means permitting an initial charging -of the cylinder below the piston with-fluid to maintain the iston unit elevated; automatic means opera le to ex-` haust said Huid from below said piston at a predetermined rate to controlthe feedingl tion ofi a cylinder forming a piston chamber and adapted tobe attached to the lower end.

of 'a string vof rotary drill-pipe conveying circulation Huid downwardly into a well bore; a piston axially slidable within said chamber and having .a piston rod projecting below said cylinder, said piston being slidably keyed to said cylinderfor unitary ro- -tation therewith and for axial 'translation relative thereto with its upper surfaceexposed to the pressure of the circulation fluid to thereby eii'ect a downward feeding of the piston, and said cylinder having a relief port above said. piston and an exhaust passage below said piston; a boring element attached. to the lower end of'said piston rod; means permitting an initial charging of the piston chamber below the piston withiluid to support Asaid piston; means yiel ingly maintaining said exhaust passage closed until pressure is applied to the circulation fluid; means governing the exhaust throughlsaid exhaust passage-of the Huid insaid chamber 'below the piston, toregulate the feeding speed of the piston;I aC valve normally clos-Y ingsaid relief port; and means associated with the piston and serving to: effect an automatic'` opening of said relief valve when the piston nears thc end of its feeding stroke.

9.1 In aV rotary boring device, the combination of: a cylinderunit and a piston unitslidably keyed together for unitary rotation,

one of said units'being adapted to 'be at tached to the lower end of a string of drillpipe conveying circulation-Huid downwardly into a well bore and the Aother of saidunits being ,provided at its'lower end with a boring element andy arranged to be axially trans- 5 ing element; and means for eectin change in the How of the circulation uid lated 'doinlwardlynby the Pressure .of said circulation Huid; means or limitmg the feeding stroke of said boring element; mean for governing the feeding when the boring element reaches speed of said bolLv the end of its ifeedingr stroke, such` change being visible at the well surface and serving as an indication of the comfyletion of said feeding 10 

